A Different Kitchen (AKA- A Nonwhite One)

Living Well

A Different Kitchen (AKA- A Nonwhite One)

Recently, I blogged about a kitchen here that I designed that is featured now in the Holiday issue of Traditional Home. I love that not only was it custom designed specifically for my client, but that it is a gray kitchen versus a white one like you are seeing everywhere.

Don’t get me wrong- I love a white kitchen because they are clean, classic, and on trend. I recently painted my own a version of this palette and I am enjoying it.

But when I am able to start from scratch and create a space you won’t see in any other house, I am all over making it unique. After all, that is why clients hire us- to give them a space that is classic enough to stand the test of time, but one that is custom and special and different than their neighbor’s.

I kept the colors soft to suit the owners and their style, so I chose Sherwin Williams “Crushed Ice” for the cabinetry and walls. The kitchen is light and airy without having to be white.

color-swatch — Sherwin William’s Crushed Ice

It’s hard to tell from these photographs but we played with the Crushed Ice color. I watered down the color on the wood walls but used the same color in full formula for the cabinets. This kitchen had many details that added warmth and contrast to the design, while remaining bright and airy.

Even though the cabinetry and walls were light, the countertops were a great place to add warmth. The dark soapstone really stood out in this space and helped marry the darker island base. Soapstone is a forgiving material, so it was perfect for this type of workspace. The island countertop is Mystery White marble, and this “clean” material was fitting for this somewhat formal-feeling kitchen.

dana wolter interior photography by Graham Yelton — dana wolter interiors – photography by Graham Yelton

The French white oak floors from Bois Chamois are not only beautiful, but practical as well. With two dogs in the house, they are scratch resistant and won’t show dog hair. The waxed finish keeps the color light, but its gray tones blend into the rest of the kitchen.

dana wolter interiors - photography by Graham Yelton — dana wolter interiors – photography by Graham Yelton

The warm gray charcoal finish on the white-oak island base added contrast, as well as a touch of formality with it’s soft lines and reeded cabinet doors. It became a grounding piece against the lighter cabinets and wood floor.

Classic details, such as mixing metals in the light fixtures and hardware, softly added more warmth through these layers. Keeping these details refined and purposeful is one of the best ways to create a tasteful space.

And, as always, if we can help turn your home into one you think you can only dream about, reach out to us here. We would love to hear from you-

dana

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Five Ways to Create A Warm, Inviting Foyer (and set the tone for the rest of your home)

Your foyer is the first impression of your home, and you want to make it a good one.

On any project I am working on, I always look for ways to make a statement and create warmth in the foyer. After all, it gives your guests the first impression of what to expect in the rest of your house.

Here are five ways to create a warm, inviting foyer:

1. Add a piece of furniture and or seating (preferably something with fabric) to soften the space.

Opposite angle of Rose Uniacke's work — Rose Uniacke

Rose Uniacke — Opposite view of the same room. Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the mix of textures throughout.

2. Make the space personal- Add your favorite piece of artwork, a frame with a sepia photo, etc….

Dana Wolter Interiors Graham Yelton Photography

3. Make the space useful- Depending on the size, create a place to sit to put on your shoes or at the very least add a tray to catch your keys.

4. Include something fresh such as flowers or a plant.

5. Layer the space with accessories to create dimension and to make it look like it has been collected over time.

Below is a video I shot a few years back with Wendy Garner talking about how to transform this overlooked space. Click here to watch for a few tips for your foyer.

photo (5) — Dana Wolters’ TV Segment on “Ways To Create An Inviting Foyer”

So, what does your foyer say about your home? Does it set the tone and catch your visitor’s eye, or is it a “catch-all” area you want to hurry your guests through?

Have a great day, everyone, and here’s to making your foyer makes a good first impression.

Dana

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A Transformation In Progress

A family in #Vestavia, AL, has hired me to change the interiors in several of the rooms in their home. The house was built around 20 years ago and while it was furnished well, it is time to renew and refresh.

One of my favorite rooms in the home is going to be the dining room. It began as ornate, dark, and full of English and French furniture. While I love that my client has many antiques that we can curate through and add back in where needed, her home is going to look so much more fresh and updated when we are finished. Antiques give instant age and a “collected look” to a room, so when I can add a few into the mix, I always try to do so.

Two walls of the dining room are going to be draped in fabric, which will create drama in itself. We are adding a few custom pieces of furniture to the mix- a dining room table and a console. And while I like mixing my woods in a space, I want to make sure all finishes, colors and undertones blend in the room.

Fabrics for the dining room space. Dana Wolter Interiors

Blending the finishes on the new pieces of furniture with the fabrics

This room and the others have been ordered and the powder is completely gutted as we speak. The transformation is in progress, and it’s going to be unbelievable.

Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

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Five Ways To Bring Joy Into Your Home

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, so today is the day to find joy in life and home.

Yes, we want to exude joy onto others, but we must first find happiness within before we can share it.

With our homes being the place we spend more time than anywhere, it’s important to surround yourself with things you love and make you happy.

I believe you can make your home the home of your dreams, or something pretty close to it.

Here are five ways to create joy in your home:

1. Fill it with love What makes you happy? Is it a color-filled room? A relaxing bath? Or a cozy spot tucked away in a room? Whatever you gravitate towards, begin in that room or space and make it one you love. If you aren’t sure of how to go about doing this, hire a professional designer to help.

Brooke Gianetti- Patina Farm for Veranda

2. Clean out I am a big believer you cannot enjoy a space filled with stuff that doesn’t appeal to you.

You can read here and here where I have talked about cleaning out clutter.

If you don’t love a piece,-nor are you using it- sell it, give it away or throw it away.

Life is too short to surround yourself with things that bring you down.

REPEAT…….

Life is too short to surround yourself with things that bring you down.

3. This next one follows along with the previous one…..Surround yourself with things you love. Just as I want you to clean out, I want you to surround yourself with things you love.

Maybe it is a picture that reminds you of a moment when you were little, or a bunch of baseballs collected from professional games you went to with your family.

Dana Wolter - Trad Home magazine — Dana Wolter – Trad Home magazine

Your home doesn’t have to be perfect, only perfect to you.

4. Act Today. Dont procrastinate. I have walked into too many houses where they are not wanting to do anything because they “might” move, yet five or more years later, they are still waiting and living miserably.

Who knows what tomorrow holds for any of us?

Yes, be practical with how you invest in your home, but don’t let life pass you by. Life is too short, make the changes to your home and ENJOY them.

5. Don’t Compare Yourself To Your Neighbors. No one’s life is perfect, and while your neighbor’s may look like it is on the outside, I promise it is not. Be grateful for where you are in life and the blessings you take for granted. We all have them- they are there.

Hope you found this helpful in creating joy in your home. Life is a beautiful thing, and enjoy where you are today and make the most of it.

Have a great day, my friends-

dana

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Design Online- Master Bedroom

A few weeks back, I shared with you a master bedroom for one of our Design Online projects. After a short couple of weeks, the package is on its way to the homeowners in Mobile, Alabama. We have loved helping them pull together a bedroom that is custom to them and their needs.

Our Design Online service is perfect for those who want a packaged plan for a room-everything from the layout to the paint color to the fabrics to the exact pieces of furniture- but want to order and install themselves according to their timeline and budget.

For this particular project, our clients wanted a soft, soothing bedroom created from natural textures and earth-toned fabrics. We added fabric across two of the walls in the room to give another texture and to create a cozy space. We completely rearranged the furniture from how she had it to begin, and the result gave the space a more open flow.

In her package, we included printed copies of the floor plan, elevations, spec sheets of the products we list with where and how to buy, samples of the fabrics and work orders for anything custom. The spec sheets and work orders give very detailed directions so ordering is easy and stress-free!

The finished plan is delivered right to the door step. Could designing a room in your home be any easier?!

Design Online Service — Dana Wolter Interiors

DesignOnline_ForSocialMedia — Image by Dana Wolter Interiors

We also include a ‘mood board’ showing you an image of all of the pieces we have pulled for the space, giving you a better idea of what the overall look of the room is going to be. Each piece of furniture for your floor plan is coded so you know exactly where each piece is placed in the room.

This has been such a fun process and is a great way for someone to have a room with our look, all while doing it on their own time and in their budget.

If you are interested in this service or our full interior design services, please contact our team at info@danawolterinteriors.com for more information and pricing.

Have a great day-

Dana

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Living Well

Dining Room Transformation

I want to share today the dining room transformation of the home featured in Birmingham Home and Garden this month. Like the rest of the home, the owners wanted to lighten up, update, and make each space more functional for their large, growing family (the oldest of five was married this past summer). You can catch up here on the after photos of the kitchen, master bedroom, and living room.

The dining room was no exception to the heaviness found throughout the home. It had dark walls, lots of gold and mahogany furniture, and a silk skirted table that could barely fit their large family around it.

With a little paint, fabric, some new furniture and accessories, we transformed the space.

watermark link 3 — Dana Wolter Interiors Photography by Graham Yelton

watermarklink6 — Dana Wolter Interiors Photography by Graham Yelton

What do you think?

The room is new and fresh, but looks like it has been collected over time (which is always a goal in my work). By mixing up the dining room chairs, the finishes in the room, and the accessories throughout, it’s hard to tell what is new and what the homeowner had before we waved our magic wand.

If we can help transform your home from heavy and ornate into a home your family and friends want to stay and enjoy, give us a call. We would love to talk with you.

Have a good day-

dana

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Living Well

Master Bedroom Transformation (Before and After)

“I wanted a bedroom that made me happy when I walked in, and this one does” – Homeowner on her bedroom transformation, Jan issue of Birmingham Home and Garden.

I want to share with you the before and after pictures of a master bedroom we designed for a client. It is in this month’s Birmingham Home and Garden, and we have shared the living room here, the kitchen here, and a post on the feature here if you would like to follow along.

The homeowners wanted to lighten up, simplify, and utilize their beautiful home to the max for their large and growing family (the oldest of five children was married last summer).

The master bedroom was dark and pretty formal when we came in. It was a shade of gold with many dark wood furniture pieces, silk curtains- all of the finishes that were popular several years back.

I wanted to create a room that was light, comfortable and a relaxing, just as a master bedroom should be.

Before:

After:

watermark link15 — Photos by Graham Yelton. Dana Wolter Interiors

We began by drawing up a plan for the client so we could guarantee we were utilizing the space as best we could. It also let us know how every inch will be used, so buying the wrong size piece of furniture or chair is never an issue.

Once it was clear how we wanted the room to flow, what pieces would stay, and what we would have made or buy new, we began pulling fabrics and pieces of furniture. A palette of grays, lavenders, and creams became our color palette. A mixture of woods (painted, waxed, and stained) were added in the mix, creating a serene and intimate room.

The walls were painted Benjamin Moore Classic Gray and we added a more neutral carpet.

I also created an intimate sitting area where the couple can sit and relax. You can’t see in the pictures, but there is an existing chaise in the right corner that we reupholstered while adding a floor lamp and an occasional table for another place to enjoy.

I loved the feel of this bedroom when it was complete. It feels like a cocoon with its softness and warmth and hopefully has become a place this couple can relax and unwind.

If we can help you create the home of your dreams, give us a shout at info@danawolterinteriors.com. I would love to hear from you-

Have a great day-

Dana

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A Kitchen Renovation in Atlanta

Recently, a client in Atlanta took advantage of my 3.5 hour consultation . She was interested in direction for each room and wanted recommendations for updating her kitchen to accommodate her family’s needs.

We went through each space, discussed her needs, and I gave my input. We discussed the changes I would make to her kitchen and, a few months later she came back and asked us to draw it, help her select finishes and assist her contractor where needed.

Atlanta Kitchen Renovation by Dana Wolter Interiors — Schematics for an Atlanta Kitchen Renovation

The kitchen is the hub of the house so a renovation should not be taken lightly. It is a major investment and you want the finishes to be classic enough to stand the test of time. Not only does the space need to feel warm and inviting, but it also needs to be highly functional to suit the needs of the family that lives there.

This client has great taste, a beautiful home, and a strong idea of what she wanted, but just needed help pulling it together.

My client wanted a large steel window as a focal point to draw the eye onto a beautiful view. We kept the lines simple on the cabinets flanking the steel window, and we placed them directly atop the counter. They are set back just a bit so they are not quite as deep as the bottom ones. Then, to add dimension and soft lighting, we added sconces on each side of the cabinets. The fridge wall is also getting new cabinets to match these.

If you’re thinking of renovating or updating your home and would like some professional help, my 3.5 hour consult may be just what you need make your home a haven.

kitchen renovation — My view from the plane on a recent trip to Texas I took for a 3.5 hour consultation.

Dana

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Living Well

Five Easy Ways To Create A Warm, Inviting Foyer (while setting the tone for the rest of your home)

What does your foyer say about your home? Does it set the tone and catch your visitor’s eye? Or is it a catch all area and a room you want to hurry your guests through?

On any project I am working on, I always look for ways to make a statement and create warmth in the foyer. This is the first impression of your home, and you want to make a good one.

Below is a video I shot with Wendy Garner talking about how to transform this overlooked space. Click here for a few tips.

Here’s a quick recap of a few quick suggestions I make in the video:

1. Add a piece of furniture and or seating (preferably something with fabric) to soften the space.

2. Make the space personal- Add your favorite piece of artwork, or a frame with a sepia photo. etc

3. Make the space useful- Depending on the size, create a place to sit to put on your shoes or at the very least add a tray to catch your keys.

4. Include something fresh such as flowers or a plant.

5. Layer the space with accessories to create dimension and to make it look like it has evolved over time.

Hope you find these tips helpful. If you try them, let me know the difference they make.

Have a great day, everyone, and here’s to making your foyer makes a good first impression.

Dana

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Living Well

Quick Tips For Creating a Warm, Inviting Foyer

I thought you might enjoy a few tips for creating a foyer in your home that sets the tone for the rest of your house.

It isn’t hard to do, as long as you follow these simple principles. Watch this video here from my latest television segment from NBC-13 Daytime Alabama with Wendy Garner and let me know how your foyer evolves.

Have a great day, everyone.

Dana

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From Blah to Beautiful in a Few Easy Steps

I’m a big fan of layering. Big. Layering helps make a home look like it has evolved over time. With so many hard surfaces found in a room (especially in kitchens and baths), it is important to balance them out. You do this through fabrics, rugs, throws, etc. — anything that can add softness and dimension to a space. Take a look to see what a difference layering can make…

Before:

carnaggio client pictures 024 — before = blah. notice how everything is the same height as well? boring!

Making Changes:

cotpic52 — layering begins -- much better!

After:

wallah! accessories take it to a whole new level!

See how adding a few accessories can completely change the look of a room?!

The before picture shows the bones of the room, but it’s too hard! By adding a rug, mirror, ottoman, and bench at the foot of the bed, it is slowly being softened and dimension is being created. The final touches were the accessories ( notice the shoes??!!) such as the books, the throws, and artwork.

Here is another example:

carnaggio client pictures 003 — before- awkward table, incorrect height on stools, and mismatched shades

This client’s kitchen held a few custom pillows as well as a custom banquette we made out of some discard fabric; the rest were hand me downs in the space.

See what a difference mixing the elements (wood and iron) and softening the edges can make?

stewarttakenbyme 017 — after- beautiful!!

Bottom line: Mix it up! If it’s a hard surface, find a way to soften it. If there is a lot of new, add some old. If wood is the theme, bring in a little metal. In short, layering will “take the edge off” — literally.

Stay tuned…..More tips coming soon on creating dimension in a space!